FTi’ 

» 

BEMHEE EDUO/MBN in BENENE: 




CALCUTTA: 

Printed by H. C. Gangooly & Co.j 
12, Mangoe Lane. 

1893. 

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FEMALE EDUCATION IN BENGAL: 


A SIDE SKETCH. 



• ■' ; : r f n 

* n , -- Jt V -'- 1 . - - ^ : ' •* -* 1 






BEMALE EDUCATION IN BENGAL: 

A SIDE SKETCH. 



I T is interesting to watch any development in the course of 
civilisation, and especially any new departure in the midst of a com¬ 
munity that has existed in marked conservatism. Even in countries 
that are considered progressive, changes are often met with opposition. 
In such eases, the general activity of the community brings the anta¬ 
gonism into active conflict, and true principles ultimately prevail. 
This is not the case so markedly in the East, where the conservative 
spirit animates the social body. In many cases, the idea of change is 
met, not with active opposition which would lead to battle and conquest, 
one way or another, but it is met either with freezing indifference, 
or that passive resistance which is the most difficult to overcome. In 
most oriental countries the position of women has been a degraded one, 
and it never seems to have been thought that she was capable of being 
more than a toy for pleasure, or a domestic drudge. The idea of intel¬ 
lectual companionship for man was a novelty rarely conceived, and, 
when broached, so generally scouted that it required no inconsiderable 
moral courage to become the apostle of such a faith, to preach it, 
and act upon it in the very home of conservatism. Such an idea, 
however, was conceived by Mr. Sasipada Banerjee, of Baranagar 
near Calcutta, and the following pages show some of the difficulties 
that he had to encounter, and the success that has attended his 
efforts. The record here is only of the institutions under his 
immediate care. But the measure of his work would be inadequate 
if the influence of his example be not duly recognised. The idea has 
grown, his efforts have been recognised by those who are in a position 
to estimate their effect and tendency, and this modest beginning may 
be fraught with consequences of the highest importance to the people 
of India. 

The Baranagar Female school has received a favorable notice 
from the highest authority in the Province. His Honor Sir Steuart 
Bayley spoke of it in the following terms at the Annual Meeting of 
the National Indian Association, held under His Honor’s presidency, 
at Belvedere, on the 3rd January 1890 :— 

“ I do not think we have expressed too strongly our thanks to 
Mr. and Mrs. Banerjee, not only for the trouble they have taken, but also 
for the exceedingly charitable work that they are doing—estimated 
whether at a money value or a moral value.”— Statesman , 4tli January 


1890. 


( 2 ) 

The Hon’ble Sir Alfred Croft, Director of Public Instruction. of 
Bengal, also made a kind mention of their work in the following 
terms :■— 

“ He referred to the case of a young widow who was taken from 
the school and was remarried to a Brahmin—a professional man, a 
Doctor. The Association had nothing to do with the marriage, but the 
fact that her husband chose her because he wanted an educated 
wife spoke in favor of the Institution. He thought it desirable in 
presenting the Report to lay particular attention to the great services 
rendered by Mr. and Mrs. Banerjee. The work they did was of a 
very high character, and they would see from the Report the great 
service it was to the pupils to be in such excellent hands .”—Indian 
Daily News, 4th January 1890. 

Sir Steuart Bayley has not ceased to take an interest in the work of 
the Baranagar Female Boarding School and Hindu Widows Home 
even after leaving this country. At a meeting held at the Society 
of Arts Rooms in London in the year 1891 Sir Steuart made the 
following reference to it. “I may mention from my own knowledge 
the admirable work that is being done with regard to the training of 
widows by Mr. Sasipada Banerjee and his wife, who, starting from 
very small beginning, and* having to rely upon very little prolonged 
and certain help, are now making real and marked progress, and 
keeping a firm footing in Calcutta.”—In a letter which he wrote to 
Babu Sasipada on the 15th July 1892 he made the following 
mention of it:— 

“ I shall always take an interest in your school and the very 
useful work you are pioneering—a work which, I trust, will multiply 
itself spontaneously in the next generation, but of which, you, as 
showing the way, will always be honored as the founder.” 

All this, however encouraging to those who have been watching 
the movement from its commencement, 28 years ago, cannot lessen the 
importance of the struggles which the founder of the school, Babu 
Sasipada Banerjee, had to go through in its different stages of progress. 

Mr. Tudor Trevor, of the Government of India, Financial Depart¬ 
ment, thus wrote of the School in the Indian Mirror, of September 

1866 :— 

“ The Baranagar Girls’ school traces its origin to the family of 
the founder, who commenced it by teaching his wife and one or two 
relations in his own house. It was then increased by the addition 
of some girls who were desirous of obtaining instruction; and so great 
was its success that it was removed from the sacred precincts of the 
Zenana—or, to speak more correctly, Zenana education was given 


\ 


( 3 ) 

to grown-up persons, and a school for girls was opened under the 
superintendence of a Pandit.” 

The founder of the school, Sasipada Banerjee, was married at the 
age of 20. This was an advanced age of marriage for a high caste 
Brahmin as he was. His two elder brothers were married according 
to the custom of the family at a very early age ; and his immediate 
elder dying when a boy leaving a child widow, his mother did not 
accept any of the proposals for his marriage which came to her in 
numbers after he had the Brahminical Baptism, at the age of 9, 
lest he should also die at an early age, leaving another widow to 
burden her miserable life. Fathers of marriageable girls came and 
begged her to have him married, but she was firm. When Babu 
Bhola Nath (xhosal of Arreadali came to her with the proposal, she 
gave him a flat denial, saying that she was not willing to get Sasipada 
married even at 20. But Bhola Nath Ghosal prostrated himself before 
her, implored and begged her with closed hands to save him from his 
caste difficulty, as his daughter was far advanced in the age enjoined 
in the Sasti'cts for the marriage of high caste Hindu girls, and as there 
was no other high caste Kuhn to whom he could make over his daughter. 
His importunities were so very earnest and pressing that the mother 
had at last to yield. She, however, showed sufficient magnanimity in 
not realizing from him the full share of allowance in the way of money, 
ornaments, and other things, which by birth-right Sasipada was entitled 
to at the time of marriage. Bhola Nath pleaded poverty and Sasipada’s 
mother excused him of a large portion of what was his due. Mrs. 
Banerjee was a very sensible woman, and was much in advance in ideas 
of her sex of the times. She gave her son an opportunity of seeing 
the girl before the marriage question was settled, and though this may 
not now appear to be of much consequence, yet for that age it was a 
great innovation over the prevailing custom of the country. A settle¬ 
ment of marriages is made on the choice of parents and not on the 
choice of those who were to marry ; but in his case his mother gave 
him an opportunity to exercise his own choice. 

For the first year after marriage his wife remained at her father’s 
at Arreadah, and in the second year, i. e ., in 1861, she came to lire in 
the house of her husband’s mother, and in the same year he commenced 
privately to teach her. There was no talk of female education in the 
place at the time, but he felt within himself that he could not be happy 
with one who would not be able to share with him in his aspirations. 
English education taught him to look upon the superstitious practices 
of the country as absurd and foolish, and he thought that he could not 
be happy with a wife who was not above these superstitions. This was 
an anxious thought to him—either he must help her up or himself go 
down to her level. He passed several days and nights in earnest solitary 
prayers for help to get over this difficulty, and his prayers were not 


< * ) 

in vain. His wife was a thorough-going idolator—devout and earnest. 
She used to enter the family Pooja-room in the morning and would 

not leave it before 11 or 12 noon. Sometimes he used to be 

anxious to see her before going out for business, which was at 8 or 

8-30 a. m., but she could not be seen. This went keenly to his 
heart. It was not a small trial on his part to persuade her to take 
to letters. She was against female education and would not give 
herself up to it. She used all the prevalent orthodox arguments 
against female education to desist her husband from the attempt, but 
he knew what he was to do. She was, however, obedient and his 
loving persuasion had at last its effect on her. She began to learn 
during the end of the year 1861. In a short time she made good 
progress, which attracted the notice of his widow sister-in-law 
(brother’s wife) whom they persuaded to begin with the alphabets. 
These two formed his first class, and though at the time he had no 
idea of opening a school, this may very well be called the beginning 
of female education work in Baranagar. Gradually his niece came to the 
age when she could receive some education, and though it was not at all 
considered a necessity at the time, he felt it his duty to educate her. 
Mrs. Banerjee took charge of her. When he found that his wife and 
sister-in-law could take charge of little girls he opened'a class for 
them in his house, and another for adults. The family consisted of a 
large nnmber of inmates, seven generations both by the male and 
female lines, living in the same house. The work of education was 
originally confined to the family, but gradually some girls came and 
joined the class from the neighbouring houses. 

When Sasipada commenced to teach his wife there was a hue and 
cry against them, for it was not then customary to teach females. 
Moreover, for a young wife to speak with her husband during the day 
and receive instruction from him was a great social offence which the 
community could not easily pass over. They, however, patiently bore 
all the calumny, and in faith and prayer went on with the work ; and 
the consequence was that, in a short time, almost all the elderly females 
of the house, not to speak of the girls, began to gather round his wife 
and sister-in-law to receive instruction. His cousin, Babu Saroda 
Prasad Banerjee, late Chairman of the Baranagar Municipality, was at 
that time Head Master of the isTaral High Class English School, in 
the District of Jessore. In a letter dated Naral, the 5th September 
1864, he wrote to Sasipada of the work in the following manner :— 

“ The establishment of a Zenana Girls’ school has given me more 
satisfaction than I can express. May it thrive well under the 
management of Mr. and Mrs. Sasi. ,, 

Though his wife made progress in her education and was 
helping in the teaching work she did not write to his cousin, nor 
did he to her, though they were so nearly and dearly related to 




C 5 ) 

eacli oilier. The custom of the country prohibited them from 
corresponding with, or talking to, each other. It was not before 
1865 when they had made sufficient advance over the prevailing 
superstitious notions of the country that his cousin could be persuaded 
to write to her, and she to him. The following is an extract from his 
letter, dated 8th July 1865, on receipt of Mrs. Banerjee’s first commu¬ 
nication to him : “I am very glad to see Mrs. Sasi’s letter, which I 
received not so much as a token of friendship from a dear relative 
but as a literary performance of one of the female sex. Great credit is 
due to you, for her progress has been remarkable, and I am sure she 
beats the Patshalla boys hollow and has disgraced the Pandits and us, 
school masters, for the long years we would take to train up a boy to 
that degree of progress which has just been evinced to me by Mrs. Sasi.” 
In another letter he thus speaks of the progress made by her 
sister-in-law :— 

“ I am much pleased to see Khira’s mother write so well on her 
first exercise, and shall be equally glad to see the other females of our 
house displaying the same rapid progress. It is delightful to see how 
your wife as well as Khira’s mother speak of the Brahmo religion. 
Years’ prejudices are swept away as so much dust before the winds.” 

All difficulties vanish before perseverance and devotion, and such 
has been the case with the work in connection with the early history 
of female education in Baranagar in its different stages of progress. 
Those who had nothing but taunting remarks against it when it was 
commenced now began to look at it with interest, and even the more 
elderly females of the house began to pass hours with their first Bengali 
primer. This was a sight never to be forgotten — what an earnestness 
did they show in attempting to master difficult spellings ! Sasipada’s 
brother, Kedar Nath, was at that time at Mozufferpore, where he had 
been for a change. In a letter dated Mozufferpore, the 3rd Chyet 
(1865). he wrote thus about the work which was being silently carried 
on in the house 

“ I am highly delighted to learn from Bow (sister-in-law) that 
Abinash’s mother and many other women of our house are learning 
near Bow and your wife. For they who were once against us in our 
endeavours for educating the girls and grown-up females have now 
not only understood its importance but have begun to prosecute their 
studies themselves.” 

His cousin, Babu Saroda Prasad Banerjee, wrote of the work in 
the following words in his letter dated Naral, the 18th February 
1865 

“lam very glad that almost all the members of the family have 
commenced educating themselves. It would be a great blessing when 
my mother and Natoon Khoori and if possible Bernho Pishi (aunt), 


( G ) 

those staunch desisters of female education, will be brought under the 
discipline of your girls school” And they did come under its 
discipline, for in a short time all of them had books in their hands, and 
they sat round Mr. and Mrs. Banerjee for instruction. It will thus be 
apparent that the female education work of Baranagar commenced 
with the teaching of grown-up females, many of whom were widows 
, of the ancestral family-house of Sasipada Banerjee. 

These worthy people worked upon the prejudices of the times 
against female education by imparting education in a quiet manner to 
the ladies of the house, and such was their success that in a short time 
they got a number of girls from the neighbouring houses to the Zenana 
School. And now it was time for opening a Public School for Girls. 
Hitherto the classes were held in the ordinary domestic manner without 
any form or ceremony, the pupils sitting on mats on the floor. Now 
some furniture was procured, and on the 19 th of March 1865, the Girls 
School was formally opened in the Pooja Dalan (prayer hall) of 
the late Dinanath Nandi, a Pandit and a maid servant were all the 
establishment. Krista Dhone Sen Gupta of Baranagar was the first 
Pundit. The Zenana teaching went on within the house, Mr. Banerjee 
and her sister-in-law looking after the beginners, and Mr.^Banerjee the 
more advanced class. 

Deep religious convictions were the secret propelling force working 
within the heart of Sasipada at the time. Having no faith in idolatory 
he began to look with anxious concerns on the evils of the caste-system 
and of the social vices which prevailed in the country. Hs was always 
impetuous in doing whatever seemed to him to be right and proper, and 
this disposition has always shown itself in all his public and private life. 
It pained his heart to identify himself any longer with the idolatory 
of the country and to conform to the caste rules (though as a High 
Caste Brahmin he had homage from all), both of which seemed to be 
strong engines for degrading and demoralizing the nation. When 
this feeling was working within him and showing itself in all his 
works in Baranagar, Baboo Keshub Chunder Sen was working in 
earnestness in Calcutta in connection with the Brahmo Samaj which 
Sasipada had joined some years before; but he did not come in 
contact with Keshub,"nor was he introduced to him till the latter’s lecture 
on “ The Struggles for Independence and Progress in the Brahmo 
Samaj,” delivered on Sunday the 23rd July 1865, at the house of the 
late Gopal Mullick at Sinduriaputty, Calcutta, which Sasipada went 
to hear. It was a firy torrent of faith and earnestness which gave a 
form to his inward convictions as it did to those of several other 
young men of other places who went to hear Keshub. He now publicly 
declared his faith, which had so long been silently working within him. 

And now his trials and difficulties began, and with them his 
school suffered, The sensation caused by his throwing off the 


( 7 ) 

Brakminical thread was very great; the tremendously large family 
was all in uproar ; and day and night meetings were held to put him 
and his wife to all sorts of inconveniences. They had hard fighting 
to go through, Not a friend to help nor a kind word of sympathy 
from any quarter, but, resigning themselves to the will of God, they 
defied persecution and triumphed over their misfortunes which came 
one after another in overwhelming numbers. The account of all these, 
however interesting, cannot very well find a place in this paper. The 
persecution, however, did him good—it helped the inward growth and 
strengthening of his faith and devotion. But the school received a 
severe shock ; the Zenana class for grown-up females at once dispersed, 
and all its pupils threw away their books and writing materials, not 
again to be touched for fear of contamination from Sasipada and his 
wife. An “ Englishman’s” letter in the Indian Mirror described the 
state of things in the following terms:—“A sudden stop was put to 
its (School’s) progress by the fact of the founder having embraced 
Brahmosim (Theism). A revulsion of feeling took place; all the 
jmpils of the Zenana and many from the school were withdrawn, and 
all were warned from further contact with the heretic who had for¬ 
saken his ancestral religion.” The girls were withdrawn from the 
school, and the Pandit, who was a native of the place, was threatened 
with excommunication if he continued to teach in the school. The 
poor man with disheartened look came one morning to Sasipada to 
say that he could not any longer stay at his post. That very day 
Sasipada went to Calcutta, appointed a teacher, and the school or 
rather the benches (for excepting his niece and one or two more girls 
none were then to be seen) had not to go for a single day without 
a teacher, Amidst all the difficulties which Mr. and Mrs. Banerjee 
were subjected to, his heart was always in the school. The orthodox 
party was bent upon closing the school for good and when they saw 
that he had appointed a teacher from Calcutta who could not be inti¬ 
midated from not joining the school, they devised other plans to put 
their idea into execution. One fine morning all the benches and other 
furniture were put out of the school-room and left scattered in the 
court-yard. The landlady of the place said that the leaders of society 
would not allow the school to be held any longer in her house, and 
therefore the furniture must at once be removed and the school closed. 
Sasipada was not the man for that ; with firm enthusiasm he ran 
about the whole town to find accommodation for the school, and it 
was not without great difficulty that he could secure a small thatched 
room in the out-house of the late Wooma Churn Nandi. The other 
party were not slow to follow him, but they were once more defeated. 
Least they should come upon his new landlady, as they did on the 
former one, to exercise their influence to oust him from the place, he 
at once got an agreement executed by her for a term of one year, 
during which time she could not remove the school from the place. 
With a feeling of satisfaction in having been able to secure a place 


( 8 ) 

on a firm understanding, he removed the furniture, and the school 
was opened in the new place. The leaders of the other party met to 
devise plans to oust him from this place, and they in a body waited 
upon the late Baboo Krishna Mohun Mookerjee, the Zemindar, with 
a view to get his assistance in the matter. The landlady of the place 
was summoned, and she was ordered not to allow her place to the 
school. But this she could not do, as Sasipada had got a firm 
footing on the virtue of the written agreement. 

And thus was he able once more to overcome the difficulty 
about a place for the school. Though defeated they still gathered 
strength. They went from house to house dissuading guardians from 
sending their girls to the school and for months together no girl came 
to the school except his niece. He did not give way to opposition, 
but kept the School open and sent round the maid servant (female 
hurkara) from house to house with a view to secure girls. And they 
began to come one after another : he made presents to them of dolls, 
sweets, books, slates and even of Dacca clothes, and these had their 
effect, for without the permission of the masters of the houses the 
maid servant could persuade the mothers to send their girls to the 
school, who themselves were eager to come not for the education 
which was imparted but for the presents they received. Such encourage¬ 
ments are necessary on such occasions. When the first Female 
school was opened (1849) in Calcutta by the Hon’ble J. E. Bethune 
he paid monthly stipends to girls whose parents had the courage to 
send them to his school. Persistently working on in this way, matters 
gradually took a good turn in Sasipada’s school, and the number of 
pupils increased. At the time of the First Annual Distribution of 
Prizes, which took place on Sunday, the 10th September 1866, presided 
over by Professor Lobb of the Presidency College, 57 pupils formed 
the strength of the school, divided into four classes. In giving an 
account of the distribution to the papers Mr. Tudor Trevor, who was 
present at the meeting, wrote thus about the difficulties and the 
result:— 

“ The heart of the young reformer was not to be discouraged by 
persecution ; but he manfully stood his ground, kept open his school, 
and has lived down the tyranny of his persecutors, and the result of 
his perseverance was last Sunday’s gratifying ceremony which was 
attended by a large number of his neighbours and a few European 
gentlemen.” 

In the same year the late lamented Miss Carpenter visited India 
and gave a great impetus to female education and to the cause of 
social progress in the country. She came to Calcutta on the 20th 
November 1866, and Mr. and Mrs. Banerjee were present at a 
meeting of Bengali ladies held there on Saturday the 24th idem to 
give her a welcome. Her noble presence had a magnetic influence, and 


( 9 ) 

Sasipada looked upon her with reverence and began to watch her 
movements and follow her teachings with very great interest. “ The 
e gening awakened in the minds of many of those present higher 
aspirations, which led to higher improvement,” has been recorded by 
her in her “ Six Months in India,” and this is more than verified in 
the case under notice. They again saw her at the evening party at 
Dr. Chuckrabarty’s, which was held on the following Monday. 

She made the following mention of the party in her excellent 
book :— 

“The meeting passed thus agreeably; there was no painful 
shyness or reserve, and yet at the same time there was throughout a 
propriety of demeanour which was very remarkable, when it is to be 
remembered that such an assemby was probably the first of the kind 
ever held.” 

Besides these public meetings and evening parties Sasipada had 
the honour of several private interviews with Miss Carpenter during 
her first visit to Calcutta which were very useful to him. She spoke 
out her mind and understood his feelings and aspirations which she 
encouraged. He asked her to come and see the schools, of which he 
had then three, one Girls’ school, a Vernacular school for Boys, and 
the third a Night school for Working Men and Boys, and she gladly 
accepted the invitation. A correspondent of the Indian Daily News 
reported to that paper of her visit in the following terms : “ She came 
accompanied by Mr. Mon Mohan Ghose. She visited the Girls’ 
school and the Vernacular school which has also been lately estab¬ 
lished by the managers of the Girls’ school and some of the well-to-do 
gentlemen of JBon-Hooghly. It is getting fresh strength every day. 
Miss Carpenter also visited the Night school and she seemed to be 
well pleased with what she saw.” 

Miss Carpenter made the following mention of her visit in her 
“ Six Months in India,” page 249, vol. 1 :— 

“ On Wednesday, December 12th, I set off to visit the school, 
under the escort of the Secretary, Babu Sasipada Banerjee, a Brahmo, 
and one of those who had accompanied his wife to the tea-party at Dr. 
Chuckrabarty’s. He informed me that when he renounced idolatory, 
he was excommunicated, and exiled from his ancestral home, receiving 
only a portion of his patrimony. This, however, gave him a degree 
of freedom in which he rejoiced. His is the only case I met with, 
throughout India, in which excommunication was not regarded with 
the greatest dread by the Hindus. This first step having been 
courageously taken, he secured a small separate house for himself and 
wife, and there devoted all the leisure he could command to movements 
connected with social progress. The diffusion of the knowledge of 
one True God was his first concern in connection with the Brahmo 


( 10 ) 

Somaj. He devoted himself also to the Temperance movement, for 
which he had to suffer much persecution, being once imprisoned on 
a charge of murder by a publican whom he had offended. The 
murdered roan having been produced alive and well the next morning 
by his friends, he was released, but not without much expense and 
annoyance. * * “ Though it was becoming late, my young, friend 

would not allow me to depart without a visit to his abode, as his lady 
was expecting me there. And well indeed was I rewarded for any 
trouble I may have taken to come here. For the first, and for the 
last time, during my whole visit, had I the happiness of being in a 
simple native dwelling which had the domestic charms of an English 
home. ,r 

The next visit of Miss Carpenter to Baranagar was on the 6th 
January 1867, when a public meeting was convened to hear an 
address from her. When inviting her to come, Sasipada made the 
following suggestion to her in a letter dated 6th January ;—■ 

“ That your coming to Baranagar may be of some practical good 
to our place I wish that you would kindly form a Committee of 10 
or 12 gentlemen to carry out your plans in due time. I shall try my 
best to assist the Committee and write to you informing you of the 
progress we make. ,, 

Miss Carpenter mentioned of the meeting in the following terms 
In her “ Six Months in India — 

«The meeting did not conclude without passing a resolution, 
proposed by my friend the Secretary, Babu Sasipada Banerjee, that a 
Committee should be formed of English and Native gentlemen, 
to consider the formation of a Society for the improvement of the 
working classes. This was not a mere formal resolution, barren of 
results. The disinterested zeal of the young man, who had already 
given so much practical proof of his earnestness and perseverance, 
enlisted the warm co-operation of some enlightened and benevolent 
gentlemen ; and in the Indian Daily News , of July 24th, 1867, we 
find a Report of the Half-yearly Meeting of the ‘ Baranagar Social 
Improvement Society,’ Dr. Waldie, President in the Chair. A 
Committee was formed, a Public Library was commenced, and 
arrangements made to obtain a room for the proceedings. A valuable 
address was made by the chairman, and he showed how much might 
be done by even one true-hearted individual, by remarking, “ A Girls’ 
school has been in prog ess for some time, and with as much success 
as in the circumstances can be expected. For the institution of this, 
and also for the Night school for men and boys, and mainly also for 
carrying them on, we are indebted to the highly praiseworthy labours 
of the Secretary, Babu Sasipada Banerjee. But, in my mind, it is 
unfair to have such institutions so entirely under his care, and the 
Society ought to make it their business to assist him.” 


( 11 ) 

Things went on well for some time after the formation of the 
Social Improvement Society ; but fresh difficulties and of a more 
serious nature were in store for them, and these were to a great extent 
of their own making. When they carried on the work of female 
education in the family-house there were, among others, their cousin- 
sister and her widow daughter in the Zenana class, receiving education 
near Mr. Banerjee and his wife. Light and darkness cannot remain 
together in the same place and at the same time ; with the advent of 
the one the other must recede, and such is also the case with education. 
If a really good education is given to the females they cannot long 
remain in darkness and superstition. Receiving some education his 
cousin became naturally anxious to better the condition of her widow 
daughter, and when Sasipada left his ancestral house with his wife, 
they expressed a desire to follow them. But having no house of their 
own and their movements being then uncertain on account of the hot 
persecution which raged against them at the time they could not give 
a favourable response to their wishes, but assured them that when they 
had their own house ready they would be happy to give them shelter. 
In the year 1868, by which time they had their own dwelling-house 
built, they invited them and they came (26th June) and lived with 
the Banerjees as members of the family. Arrangements were made for 
their education and thus again the original feature of the school was 
once more established in the way of imparting education to grown-up 
women. The young widow was after some time remarried, and this 
marriage and their coming entirely upset the state of things, and 
fresh persecution raged in the most virulent manner. The school 
suffered another shock, but carefully working at it they were able to 
get over it within a year. The attitude of the inhabitants of Baranagar 
against Sasipada after the remarriage of his widow niece was most 
fearful, and the result was that all the local institutions suffered by 
it. Sir J. B. Phear thus wrote on the 26th December 1868 about 
the treatment which Sasipada received from his people : “ The treat¬ 
ment which you receive from your relations and neighbours affords 
an illustration of the deplorable amount of prejudice and bigotry which 
prevails even among the respectable classes of people in this country. 
Time and the spread of information can alone furnish the remedy.” 
The following extract from the Seventh Half-yearly Report of the 
Social Improvement Society, drawn up by the Vice-President Dr. 
Sambu Chunder Mookerjee, will also give an idea of the state of 
feelings at the time :— 

“The President Dr. Waldie, who took the chair (16th July 
1870), opened the meeting. He congratulated the Society in reviewing 
its half-year’s work of the present year on its recovery—of which the 
present well-attended meeting was one of the signs—from its 
unfortunate condition, its death struggles as it were, of last year, and 
paid a high compliment to the Secretary Babu Sasipada Banerjee, on 


( 12 ) 

tvhose return to his proper post, from which he had been kept out by 
religious and social bigotry in the shape of rampant Hindu orthodoxy, 
he felicited the Society. That the Secretary of every such Society is 
its life was well exemplified in the history of the Baranagar Society 
for the last year. In consequence of the outcry and combination 
alluded to, Babu Sasipada was not re-elected Secretary for 1869, and 
for the whole year the proceedings of the Society were almost a blank, 
diversified by the attempts of certain parties who had gained the 
support of nearly the majority of the members, to expel. Babu 
Sasipada, driven from the post of Secretary, from the society itself ; 
there were few lectures on the literary side of the Society, and none 
of them good ; there were more withdrawals than new members, the 
attendance at both the Monthly General and the Committee Meetings 
was miserable ; and there was none of the practical ‘ improvement 9 
work in Committee which was such a feature in the Society. Since the 
re-election of Babu Sasipada at the beginning of this year there has, 
in the last six months, been a marked change.” Mr. W . C. Bonnerjee, 
who could not for “ some very pressing matters” be present at the 
wedding of Sasipada’s widow niece thus mentioned of the importance 
of the step taken by him in getting the widow remarried :—“ I fully 
sympathise with you on this grand movement. I cannot call it any 
thing but grand: and though not present in body I shall be with 
you in spirit. May all your enlightened efforts be crowned with all 
the success they deserve.” 

In the month of September of the following year (1870) 
Sasipada helped another Brahmin widow of his village, and then 
again there was a revulsion of feeling against him, but this he did 
not mind so long as he felt his conscience satisfied. Mr. and Mrs. 
Banerjee took this new widow in the family (25th September) 
and began to teach her. It will thus be seen that they had been 
going on with the work of helping Hindu widows in a quiet manner 
since 1868 and that Sasipada had an idea of making some organixed 
effort in this direction from that time, as would appear from the 
following extract from his letter to Miss Carpenter, dated 28th 
September 1870 (vide Journal of the National Indian Association of 
1871, page 40) : “ We are now teaching her (the new widow) that 
she may be a useful member of society. There has been fresh persecu¬ 
tion against me and my wife for helping this widow. If there can 
be made an organized effort thus to help widows , we can hope to suc¬ 
ceed to do good to many such widows. In Baranagar there is no one 
who is willing to help me privately or publicly in this work ; still for 
the sake of duty, and even risking many of my and my family’s 
comforts I take it up ; and it gives me a great delight that, though 
poor, I have been able, by the blessing of God. to help three widows 
in the course of two-and-a-half years.” Besides these three widows 
others from different parts of the Province from time to time came and 


( 13 ) 

took shelter in the house of Mr. and Mrs. Banerjee, and they did all 
they could to make them happy and comfortable. They gave them 
some education and some of them have since been remarried and are 
managing happy families, while three are engaged in the noble work 
of teaching girls. The difficulties which had to be met could not 
deter them from their work, and the Indian Daily News , of the 31st 
January 1871, thus wrote of the position while reviewing the Fourth 
Annual Report of the Social Improvement Society of which Sasipada 
was the Honorary Secretary :— 

“ In the midst of so much talk as to the improvement of the 
people of this country, it is refreshing to review actual work, and the 
results attending it. There is too much reliance upon outside assis¬ 
tance, and too little self-help in India ; but there is yet hope that 
when some of the difficulties are removed which stand in the way of 
free action, much more will be accomplished. This at least we judge 
from a perusal of the Annual Report of the Baranagar Social Im¬ 
provement Society for the past year, which we note is the fourth of the 
Society’s existence. It appears that for some considerable time 
after the foundation of the Society, very little could be done, owing 
to the conservative character of the Hindu community. Few have the 
moral courage to move out of the beaten path, and those who do so, soon 
bring upon themselves the condemnation of the ill-disposed, and have 
to pay rather heavy penalties for desiring to improve. Baranagar is 
no exception to this, but is rather an example of it, as well as 
showing what may be done, by sincere and earnest effort, by men who 
know how to suffer for and to win a cause. For several years not 
much could be done at Baranagar, because one of the most energetic 
of the social reformers of the place went faster than the majority of 
his countrymen thought prudent. He had, therefore, to suffer much 
in the way of persecution, and the work he desired to promote met 
with obstruction in every possible way. * * * The Report of the 

year read by the indefatigable Secretary, Babu Sasipada Banerjee, 
who has been the apostle of improvement, and almost a martyr to his 
love of it, tells a story of success gained amidst dfficulties, a triumph 
of earnestness^of purpose which we should rejoice to see more common,” 

The Committee of the National Indian Association of England, 
who have, from its very commencement, been watching the work, 
noticed it in the following encouraging terms in their Journal for 
March 1871 

“ The progress of the work of civilization and development at 
Baranagar, during the last six years, has thus been chiefly owing to 
the untiring and wisely-directed efforts of one individual,—who, ani¬ 
mated by true devotion, has been daunted by no opposition, and has 
finally induced those around him to sympathize with him in his work. 


( U ) 

It is encouraging to observe how valuable is the co-operation of 
English residents with such a man, and how much may be accomplished 
by native effort, even with very small pecuniary means.” 

In the summer of 1871, Sasipada visited England with his wife, the 
first Hindu lady from Bengal who had been to England. The Friend 
of India, in its issue of the 16th March of that year, thus noticed their 
visit to England :— 

“ Babu Sasipada Banerjee of Baranagar is starting for England 
with his wife. The Babu has done good service in the village in 
which he resides. He has established a Night School and a Work¬ 
ing Men’s Club, a Girls’ School and a Yernacular School, a Savings 
Bank, a Public Library, a Social Improvement Society and a Temper¬ 
ance Society. His visit to England, therefore, ought to have some 
interest.” 

Miss Carpenter thus wrote of the approaching visit of Mrs. 
Banerjee to England : “ If she learnt nothing here, the simple fact of 

her braving all difficulties and persecutious, courageously to devote her¬ 
self with her husband to take the first great step for the emancipation 
of her sisters, is most important and has a significance which can 
hardly be exaggerated.” 

But this was a step much in advance of the times and was not 
therefore approved by his own people He did not however mind 
much of the disapprobation so long as he felt that he had a duty to 
fulfil. He sailed with his wife from Calcutta in the Steamer “ Olga ” 
on the 19th April against much opposition and bitter feelings from 
his countrymen. The charge of the Girls’ School was left in the 
hands of his brother Kader Nath Banerjee ; Hr. David Waldie kindly 
offering to supervise the working during their absence from the 
country. They were away from home for ten months, and whde in 
England they were under the hospitable roof of their friend, Miss 
Carpenter. Mr. Banerjee was most enthusiastically received in every 
town he visited, and everywhere he aroused much sympathy in his 
work. He is not a public speaker but by his devoted earnestness and 
strong faith he made a favourable impression about native character 
in the mind of the British public. Taking his wife with him he had 
more opportunities to mix in society and to see real English home life 
than many of his countrymen who go there as agitators or for educa¬ 
tion. While he was being kindly received everywhere, by the Secretary 
of State for India down to the common English working men and 
women, and when tokens of friendship and sympathy showered upon 
them from all quarters, there was jealousy and bitter feelings against 
them from his own townspeople. But blind jealousy soon vanish 
before earnest and faithful work, and such has been the case in the 
present instance. 


{ 15 ) 

After his return from England (1872), lie resumed his old work 
yith renewed energy and introduced other measures of reform for the 
improvement of his countrymen and women. And such was his love 
lor his work that he. politely declined the kind offer of a Deputy 
Magistracy made to him by Sir George Campbell, simply because he 
ielt he could not leave Baranagar. At this time he opened a Branch 
Girls’ School at Kutighata, in the southern portion of Baranagar, and 
thus extended the operations of the school to quarters hitherto 
untouched by its influence. Sir John Phear, who, with Lady Phear, 
took a great interest in all Mr. Banerjee’s works and who befriended 
him in all his trials and difficulties for the whole time that they were 
in this country, mentioned of this development of the school in the 
following terms at the Annual Meeting held on the 8th June 1873:_ 

“ After dwelling shortly on this topic (the progress of the Girls’ 
School), Sir John went on to say that Lady Phear and himself took 
peculiar interest in the success of the Baranagar Girls’ School, for they 
had seen it rise from a very small beginning when Babu Sasipada 
started it some eight or nine years ago under every circumstance of 
discouragement, and they had watched its growth year by year, until 
by his excellent and most praiseworthy exertions it attained its present 
considerable dimensions and developed into two branches, one in the 
northern and the other in the southern part of the town.” 

The early history of the school has shown the great difficulty 
which was felt from time to time for house accommodation for the school, 
and this difficulty increased as years rolled on. The late Babu Goloc 
Chunder Mookerjee, a rich influential gentleman of orthodox ideas, 
built (1874) a commodious house especially for the use of the 
Kutighata Branch, and though he charged rent for it, the fact shows 
the change of feelings in the elderly portion of the community 
towards the school. With the aid of Miss Carpenter ^nd some other 
English friends and partly with his own money Babu Sasipada built a 
Hall near his dwelling-house for the use of the Northern Branch, 
which was formally opened during the visit of Miss Carpenter in 
India in the year 1876, 

The following extract from the opening speech of Sir John B. 
Phear will not be quite out of place here :— 

“ It is a peculiar satisfaction to me to occupy the chair, to which 
I have had the honour of being called this afternoon. For many 
years—I cannot at the moment reckon up how many—I have been a 
witness of Babu Sasipada Banerjee’s unceasing and untiring efforts 
to promote the education and social improvement of the poor people 
of this place. In spite of every obstacle, with those turned against 
him who ought to have been the first to give him countenance and 
help, he has never halted in his course. I will not stay to describe 


( 16 ) 

to you his difficulties, nor his persecution, you know all this as well as 
1 do. This is the occasion of the annual distribution of prizes to the 
girls of his school, which alone would have been to most of us 
sufficient attraction to bring us here, and sufficient cause for our 
rejoicing with him over his success. But more than this, we have to 
congratulate him and the people of this neighbourhood upon his 
having to-day attained an end, towards which he has long been 
earnestly working. By unremitting exertion and with the pecuniary 
support afforded him by a few sympathizing friends, of whom Miss 
Carpenter is the chief, he has at last completed the building in which 
we now are, and he dedicates it to the use of his fellow-countrymen 
as the Baranagar Institute. The Hall will be used during the day as 
the school-room for one of his Girls’ schools. In the evening classes 
will be maintained in it for the instruction of working men, and it will 
be a place wherein meetings may be held to promote objects of local 
improvement and advantage, and to advance the cause of religion 
and morals.” 

Dr. David Waldie thus mentioned of the Hall at the Distribution 
of Prizes to the Girls’ school: “He was glad to have had the op¬ 
portunity of being again present on such an occasion and to find the 
school so flourishing in point of numbers and so well accommodated 
in this handsome building. He could remind his hearers of those to 
whom the community of Baranagar was indebted for such an institution. 
A small amount had been raised by contribution in the neighbourhood, 
Miss Carpenter had herself contributed liberally and obtained valued 
aid from friends in England, but it was mainly by sacrifices from his 
own income that Babu Sasipada Banerjee had at last succeeded in 
completing it in its present condition.” 

Thus with good house accommodation the school went on making 
gradual progress, and it received the sympathy and support from 
several kind friends. Lord Northbrook took much interest in the 
school and granted several private interviews to Mr. and Mrs. Banerjee 
with a view to inquire about his good works at Baranagar. His 
daughter the Hon’ble Miss Baring very kindly paid a visit to the 
school on the 7th February 1874, which was looked upon as a great 
personal honour done to Mr. Banerjee and also not a small encourage¬ 
ment to his work. She further showed her kindness by presenting 
him with a photograph of herself and another of His Excellency the 
Yiceroy. The school also received the patronage and support of the 
Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal, Sir Richard Temple, who, at the 
invitation of Babu Sasipada, paid a kind visit to Baranagar on the 
16th December 1876, when the latter on behalf of the town read out 
to His Honor an address signed by all the leading and respectable 
inhabitants of Baranagar, to which Sir Richard Temple made a suitable 
reply. His Honor also distributed the prizes to the Girls’ School the 


( 17 ) 

same day and thus showed his interest in Mr. Banerjee’s work. His 
Honor had always been a great patron and kind friend to Babu Sasipada, 
The good work done by Baba Sasipada had also some recognition 
from the Royal Family. The Princess Alice and her sister the Crown 
Princess of Prussia once sent a number of portraits and other presents 
to Mr. Banerjee’s school to show their sympathy in Hindu Female 
education. 

Though the year 1876 passed off with great enthusiasm con¬ 
sequent on the honour done to the school and to the town of 
Baranagar by the visit to them of Sir Richard Temple, it was not a 
year of unmixed joy, for during the same year (8th March) Babu 
Sasipada lost his wife w T ho had been with him to England in 1871 md 
who had always helped him in his works. Mrs. Banerjee had a 
hand in the formation of the Girls’ school in which she afterwards 
always took a great interest. Her death was a severe loss to him 
and also to the school. The Indian Daily News thus refers to Mr. 
Banerjee in a notice of her death :— 

“We regret to record the death of Mrs. Banerjee, wife of Babu 
Sasipada Banerjee, of Baranagar. This lady was not known to fame 
as are some of her sex. It may nevertheless be mentioned that she 
was the first, if not the only, native lady of Bengal, who ever visited 
England. Through much persecution which her husband has endured 
from those who ought to have known better, she ‘ stuck to him ’—we 
use the phrase for its expressiveness—with all the tenderness of 
womanly nature, against all the prejudices of her race ; and accom¬ 
panied her husband on a visit to England, where a son was born to. 
them, whose name is Albion. We know of no native gentleman who 
has borne stronger testimony to his convictions, or shown more honesty 
and independence of character than Babu Sasipada ; and no feeling of 
race or religious divergence can overcome the * touch of nature that 
makes the world kin,’ or prevent us offering sincere condolence with 
him in his present bereavement. If there were more like him, the world 
would be better than it is ; and he was as fortunate in the possession of 
so sensible and good a wife as he is unfortunate now in her loss.” 

Single-handed Sasipada now carried on his work of reform at 
Baranagar amidst various trials and difficulties achieving such a 
measure of success as was possible in the circumstances. On the 
2nd June 1877, he married his second wife, a widow and a pupil from 
the Bengal Female Boarding School. When his desire for marriage 
was known to his friends a proposal came from a rich family, but it 
was a proposal to marry a girl of 15. He had long laboured for the 
cause of widow marriage, and had helped in the remarriage of several 
widows, and now in his own case to marry a girl would not, he felt, 
be showing a good example. Here he has shown in his life a force 
of character and steadiness of purpose which are rarely equalled. 



( is y 

Kow Sasipada got a sensible and a happy companion in? Ins 
female education work. From time to time several widows obtained 
shelter under their roofs to whom Mrs. Banerjee had been more- 
than a mother and in their joint-hands the schools flourished. J. B, 
Knight, Esq., c.i.e., made the following mention of the school at 
the Annual Distribution Meeting- of 1878 — 

« The interesting report which they had just heard read showed 
how much had been done in the face of limited means and great 
obstacles. Even in England, it was only in comparatively recent 
times that the great principle of education for the masses had been 
fully recognised ; while high education for girls was a thing, as it 
were, of the present day. In this country, religion, caste, religious* 
and social prejudices were all arrayed against female education, and 
all honour was due to those who, in the face of such prejudices, had 
organized and successfully conducted a school such as that in which 
they now met. Such a work could only have been accomplished by 
strong faith, earnest work, and great self-denial. He was very . glad 
to have the opportunity of congratulating his friend Babu Sasipada 
Banerjee in the success of his efforts and he- hoped all who were- 
interested in education would give him the support and encourage¬ 
ment he so much needed.” The Annual Report of the Girls’ School, 
read on the occasion of the distribution of prizes on the 5th June 
1886, did not however give a very bright picture of the working as will 
appear from the following extract:— 

“ The Baranagar Girls’ school was opened on the 1 9th March* 
1865, thus completing a career of 21 years. When we take a review 
of this long time we feel rather disappointed, for after all what have we 
been able to do !! This feeling of despondency is natural, and it is* 
participated not by a few around us. But we ought to remember that, 
as in the case- of a nation so in the case of such institutions and also- 
in the sphere of our domestic circles, we cannot hope to see anything 
like real, sound, onward progress, so long as there is internal discord 
and social or political disunion. This fact is admitted by history so* 
far as the career of nations is concerned, and that this is also true as* 
regards our social movements is sufficiently borne out by facts. 
This school has been in existence for 21 years, and this in itself is, to 
all right-spirited people, a matter of sufficient rejoicing, for it shows- 
that we are learning to hold fast to true ideas, and to act upon them. 
The more we can stick to right ideas, and work them out, the better 
shall be the days for the nation. We have lived for 21 years, but all 
this time has not been a time of peaceful work unto us, as is known 
to friends who have been watching the reform movements introduced 
in this town. The Government of a country cannot find time to 
introduce internal reforms when the attention of the nation is directed 
to civil or other wars. And if it were eager enough for such reforms 


( 59 ) 

at such times, its endeavours cannot bear adequate fruits. The 
Baranagar Girls’ school had to undergo various trials which from 
time to time had shaken its very foundation. Girls were taken away, 
doors of school-houses closed, furnitures scattered out and public 
feeling roused so much against the school that no one could think 
that the school could again be collected together. Those who had a 
hand in the management of the school at those trying times know 
how difficult it was to bring together the agencies for work. For such 
a little school to have such repeated trials was indeed very trying. 
It is therefore not a small satisfaction to think that after all we have, 
by the blessing of God, outlived those trials and difficulties.” 

The feelings of Mr. and Mrs. Banerjee were rightly expressed in 
the following prophetic words in the above Report : “ They feel that 
this little school is also in His keeping and that whatever may have 
been their shortcomings as regards their management of the school, 
it is destined to exercise a very powerful influence over our social 
organization.” On the following year the usefulness of the school 
was much increased by the addition of a Boarding and a Training 
Department, and such has been the success of the novel experiment that 
on the following year the school received the patronage of Lady Bayley 
who kindly visited the school on the 15th January 1889, and distri¬ 
buted prizes to the girls. The school has since been steadily increasing 
in number and also in its usefulness ; while the Boarding Department 
is giving shelter to several Hindu widows and others, the total number 
of its inmates being at present 26. 

The Indian Magazine of London, in its issue of November 1889, 
noticed the work in the following manner :— 

“ We have often called attention to the new undertaking of Mr. 
and Mrs. Sasipada Banerjee in connection with their school for girls 
at Baranagar, Calcutta, which has existed for over 25 years. The 
addition consists of a Boarding Department, for the express purpose 
of training young women, and especially Hindu widows, as teachers. 
No effort of a social kind can be more important at the present time 
than this. Ramabai has commenced a Home for Widows at Bombay ; 
and Mr. S. Banerjee’s is equally required for Bengal. The need for 
female teachers will grow as the age for keeping girls at school 
becomes extended, and it is hoped that widows may find an honourable 
and interesting occupation in this direction. It will be long before 
more than a very few widows will be allowed to leave their homes for 
taking up such an unusual line of work ; but the value of starting an 
institution to receive those few cannot be overrated. Until experi¬ 
ments are made, no new system can have any chance of succeeding. 
Brave beginners may meet with discouragement and opposition, as has 
been the case with Mr. Banerjee, but they will have made it a hundred- 
times easier for others to carry out the same fruitful ideas. 


( 20 ) 

“ At Baranagar the Girls’ School affords excellent opportunities for 
that class practice which is an essential part of a teacher’s preparation. 
The Deputy Inspector gave a favourable account of this school in his 
last Report, stating that the girls were in advance of the corresponding 
classes of boys. 

“ A few weeks ago the Archdeacon of Calcutta, Rev. F. R. Michell, 
went to see it, accompanied by Mrs. Michell, Mrs. K. S. Macdonald, 
and Mrs. Colquhoun Grant. The Archdeacon wrote the following 
remarks in the Visitors’ Book : ‘ The building seems most suitable and 
in good repair, and the school a most interesting one. I heard the 
elder class read in English, and several of them wrote a short letter in 
English, which was very well done. They write very neatly. I gave 
a short address, which Mr. Banerjee kindly translated into Bengalee. 
The school deserves every support.” 

“ The boarlers live in a healthy house close to the school, and it is 
satisfactory to find that Mr. and Mrs. Banerjee treat them as members 
of their family. Great care is taken to secure their comfort and their 
general development. On the occasion of the Archdeacon’s visit, the 
ladies inspected the arrangements, and wrote down the following 
remarks : ‘ Saw all the domestic arrangements, and liked the way in 
which things are carried on.’ 

“ The success of this institution must to a great extent depend at 
present on private liberality ; for though some of the students are 
paid for by their friends, others are in very poor circumstances. 
Besides, funds are required to keep up the teaching staff. 

“ It is not two or three such institutions that are needed ; but 
very many all over India. It is well, however, to proceed slowly and 
to make no hasty experiments. Mr. and Mrs. Banerjee are tried 
workers in the cause of girls’ education ; they are stimulated by keen 
sympathy with the sad condition of so many young widows ; and they 
know well how to deal with their boarders as to habits and customs.” 

The good work done by Babu Sasipada Banerjee in establishing 
various educational and social institutions at Baranagar, and working 
them up, has not gone unnoticed by Government; for at the time of 
the great festival (January 1st 1877) on the occasion of the assump¬ 
tion by our Beloved Queen of the title of the Empress of India he 
has been granted the following Certificate of Honour as a “ token 
of Her Majesty’s approbation : ” 

“By command of His Excellency the Vicery and Governor- 
General this certificate is presented in the name of Her Most Gracious 
Majesty Victoria, Empress of India, to Babu Sasipada Banerjee in 
recognition of his services rendered to the public in connection with 
various benevolent projects,” 


( 21 ) 

The Lieutenant Governor of Bengal, His Honor Sir Steurt 
Bayley sent his photograph and an autograph letter to Babu Sasipada 
Banerjee, on the 27th November 1890, referring his female education 
work at Baranagar in the following terms :— 

“ The good work you have done for the education of your 
countrywomen, especially of widows, needs no commendation from me. 
Nevertheless, I should like to assure you, before I leave, of the 
earnest sympathy I feel in your labours, of my hearty admiration for 
your self-sacrificing exertions, and my great satisfaction at hearing of 
the daily multiplication of the successful results attending them.” 

The foregoing account is a fair and yet a very incomplete narrative 
of the difficulties encountered by Sasipada Banerjee in the establish¬ 
ment of the schools. But that is only also a part of his work. He 
has shown how to meet the forces of bigotry and superstition and 
to overcome them by a combination of passive resistance and 
abounding resources which are unfortunately too rare. He has 
demonstrated what may be done by force of character against some 
of the most persevering and malignant powers of opposition that were 
ever employed by the most unscrupulous sectaries. A complete 
record of what he and his home had to suffer in the way of insult and 
indignities would be simply incredible. Even in the greatest extremity 
of maternity, help was denied to his wife, because they had contravened 
what their hearts told them was the falsehoods of the prevailing 
systems of social and “religious”—what a mockery of the term—life. 
The great work done is not the mere establishment of the schools, but 
the demonstration that a right and consistent course, with the patience 
of suffering in a good cause and a determination to win it, will in the 
end succeed. Even his opponents now recognize Sasipada and his 
work. He has won his cause, and while rejoicing in it he is not 
given to boasting of his success. He rather has the quiet satisfaction 
of feeling that their sufferings have not only brought success to their 
work, but has won respect for consistent conduct even from the bitterest 
opponents. Another effect is—or should be—to win for his cause 
the more active practical sympathy of those who appreciate his work, 
as showing that even the strongholds of superstition are not 
impregnable when assailed in such a spirit as has been shown at this 
little village in Bengal. It is further seen, that in this, as in other 
cases, the influence of woman when her mind is properly enlightened 
and directed is powerful for good ; and the help Sasipada received 
from his wife and other lady members of his family contributed not a 
little to his success by the encouragement they afforded when once they 
tasted the fruits of the tree of knowledge. There is great hope from 
the influence of the women of India, when they can once be brought 
within the field of educate! agencies. With their help instead of 
being the most conservative powers of obstruction, what may not be 




( 22 ) 

accomplished ? There is a great work to he done ; but the agencies 
at work are few and not too rich in resources. There is need of help, 
and in no other direction could it be more advantageously applied. 
With the advance of education among the male population of India, 
there will arise a demand for something more than mere animal 
companionship. The other—the better—half of society must be helped 
to become suitable wives and mothers, and the agencies to attain this 
great end require to be recognized and strengthened. In no other 
form could help for India be more advantageously applied, in none 
could the ladies of England more effectually show their sympathy for 
their Indian sisters than in helping to raise them to the position which 
they are fitted to occupy, as shown in their noble devotion to duty and 
conviction by the ladies referred to in the foregoing narrative of the 
seed sown at Baranagar. 

In addition to the work on behalf of females in general, Mr. 
and Mrs. Banerjee have for some time past taken in hand another 
much needed practical work : ‘ the education of young widows, and 
training them to useful purposes in life.’ This is perhaps one of the 
boldest experiments yet undertaken, and can only be carried on by 
generous support. The widows themselves are not in a position to 
meet the expenses of board and clothing : and for these are dependent 
largely upon the generosity of friends. Seeing the importance of the 
work Mr. and Mrs. Banerjee have not shrunk from the responsibility 
which this involves, and rely upon the generosity of friends to give the 
needful support to make the work successful and of lasting good in a 
direction where much has to be done with very inadequate means. 






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